Indian Space Policy 2023: On April 21, more than a week after it was officially approved by the Cabinet, the Indian government issued its long-awaited Indian Space Policy 2023.
It specifies the role of several government bodies, including the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Space, as well as the role of non-governmental entities (NGEs) — a term for private players in the space sector — in India’s space ecosystem.
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The Indian Space Policy 2023 policy clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), as well as those of the Indian space sector’s private players.
🇮🇳 Indian Space Policy – 2023 🗞️ https://t.co/uKAeC24TjP
🇮🇳 भारतीय अंतरिक्ष नीति – 2023🗞️https://t.co/WFO1Q8PUGM@NSIL_India @INSPACeIND @PIB_India @DrJitendraSingh @mygovindia
— ISRO (@isro) April 20, 2023
Indian Space Policy 2023: How Private Participation Will Impact Space Start Up
In essence, the policy allows NGEs to engage in end-to-end space sectors activities such as operating space objects (such as satellites) and ground-based assets. Their operations will be governed by the guidelines established by the Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), which has emerged as a focal point for interactions between the government and private players involved in space activities in the few years since its inception.
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According to the policy, commercial companies can use Indian orbital resources to create space objects for communication services, establish and run remote sensing satellites within and outside of India, and manufacture and operate space transportation systems, including launch vehicles, among other things.
According to the policy statement, “NGEs shall be allowed to undertake end-to-end activities in the space sector through the establishment and operation of space objects, ground-based assets, and related services.” Communication, remote sensing, and navigation are examples of these services.
Furthermore, ISRO has been directed to focus its resources on R&D rather than manufacturing operational space technologies. It is also intended to transfer mature systems to industry for commercial use.
NSIL, a Public Sector Undertaking under the Department of Space, on the other hand, will be responsible for commercializing space technologies developed with public funds.
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) would be the key private space project authorisation body. Its mission is to keep a “stable and predictable regulatory framework in place to provide a level playing field to non-government entities (NGEs) in the space sector.”
The Indian space industry ecosystem’s private sector companies have welcomed the central government’s Space Policy 2023. The new policy, released on April 20, allows private firms to conduct end-to-end space activities by establishing and operating space objects, ground-based assets, and related services like as communication, remote sensing, navigation, and so on. However, the policy is unclear on the government’s position on foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Indian space sector.
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